Machine Strike is the main mini-game within Horizon Forbidden West for players to explore thoroughly. Chainscrape is the first settlement within the game with a station for it. There Salma, the gamekeeper, can teach players the basics of the game. Machine Strike has a lot of different factors for players to keep in mind as a sort of higher form chess.
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The Basics of Machine Strike
Machine Strike is a mix of Risk and Chess. Different boards will contain different terrains that can be a boon or a detriment to the player, depending on the piece they use to traverse it. On top of this, different pieces within the game have a different amount of movement, combat power, health, victory points, weak points, and attack type. Because of this, it is an ultimate strategy game that may require some practice.
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Types of terrain & what they affect
- Chasm Terrain: Lowest terrain that is only accessible to flying machines. -2 Combat Power
- Marsh Terrain: Second lowest terrain that impedes movement after landing on it. -1 Combat Power
- Grassland Terrain: Level terrain with no impact.
- Forest Terrain: Up one level from Grassland, grants +1 Combat Power.
- Hill Terrain: Up one level from Forest, grants +2 Combat Power.
- Mountain Terrain: Highest level, grants +3 Combat Power.
All possible Machine Strike pieces & functions
Within Aloy's first game with Salma, players will be introduced to a few of the more common Machine Strike pieces available. Salma will gift Aloy a couple of Burrowers, Fanghorns, Grazers, Scrappers, and a single Grazer. If players beat her on all levels of her game, she will also gift them a Bristleback. With this small tutorial, players might think that there aren't that many piece types, but they would be mistaken.
Behemoth
Rare
- Type: Large Gunner
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Shield - Gains +1 Combat Power when defending against an attack.
Bellowback
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Gunner
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Spray - At the start of their turn, every piece within Attack Range will lose -1 hit point
Bristleback
Uncommon
- Type: Small Ram
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Low
- Skill: Spray - At the start of their turn, every piece within their Attack Range will lose -1 hit point.
Burrower
Common
- Type: Small Melee
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Low
- Skill: None
Charger
Uncommon
- Type: Small Dash
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Low
- Skill: Gallop - When attacking from Grassland terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.
Clamberjaw
Rare
- Type: Medium Melee
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Average
- Skill: Stalk - When attacking from Forest terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.
Clawstrider
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Melee
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Dreadwing
Rare
- Type: Medium Swoop
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: High
- Skill: Whiplash - At the start of each turn, all pieces within Attack Range rotate 180 degrees.
Elemental Clawstrider
Rare
- Type: Medium Gunner
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Burn - Attacking a machine on Forest terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.
Fanghorn
Uncommon
- Type: Small Ram
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: High Ground - When attacking from Mountain terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.
Fireclaw
Legendary
- Type: Large Melee
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Strong
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Burn - Attacking a machine on Forest terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.
Frostclaw
Rare
- Type: Medium Melee
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Strong
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Freeze - Attacking a machine on Marsh terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.
Glinthawk
Uncommon
- Type: Small Swoop
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Grazer
Common
- Type: Small Ram
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Low
- Skill: Gallop - When attacking from Grassland terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.
Lancehorn
Uncommon
- Type: Small Ram
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Climb - When attacking from Hill terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.
Leaplasher
Common
- Type: Small Melee
- Movement: Long
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Low
- Skill: Empower - At the start of each turn, all friendly machines within attack range gain +1 Combat Power.
Longleg
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Gunner
- Movement: Long
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Empower - At the start of each turn, all friendly machines within Attack Range gain +1 Attack Power. Effects can stack.
Plowhorn
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Ram
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Growth - Attacking a machine on Grassland terrain will turn that terrain into Forest.
Ravager
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Gunner
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.
Redeye Watcher
Uncommon
- Type: Small Gunner
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Blind - Enemy machines within Attack Range lose -1 Attack Power for the rest of the turn. Effects can stack.
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Rockbreaker
Rare
- Type: Large Gunner
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Alter Terrain - After inflicting damage, the terrain below your machine will lower and the terrain below the opposing machine will raise.
Rollerback
Rare
- Type: Medium Melee
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Retaliate - Rotates towards its Attacker and inflicts one damage if it is in Range.
Scrapper
Common
- Type: Small Gunner
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Scorcher
Rare
- Type: Medium Dash
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Strong
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Burn - Attacking a machine on Forest terrain will turn that terrain into Grassland.
Scrounger
Common
- Type: Small Melee
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Shellsnapper
Rare
- Type: Large Pull
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: High
- Skill: None
Shell-Walker
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Melee
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Average
- Skill: Shield - Gains +1 Combat Power when defending from an attack.
Skydrifter
Uncommon
- Type: Small Swoop
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Slaughterspine
Legendary
- Type: Large Melee
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Strong
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: High
- Skill: Spray - At the start of each turn, all pieces within Attack Range lose -1 Health.
Slitherfang
Rare
- Type: Large Dash
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Strong
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: High
- Skill: Alter Terrain - After inflicting damage, the terrain below this machine will lower and the terrain below the target will raise.
Snapmaw
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Pull
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Spikesnout
Common
- Type: Small Melee
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Stalker
Rare
- Type: Small Melee
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Strong
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: Stalk - When attacking from Forest terrain, gain +1 Combat Power.
Stormbird
Rare
- Type: Large Swoop
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: High
- Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.
Sunwing
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Swoop
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
Thunderjaw
Rare
- Type: Large Dash
- Movement: Moderate
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.
Tideripper
Rare
- Type: Large Pull
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Strong
- Attack Range: Long
- Health: High
- Skill: None
Tracker Burrower
Common
- Type: Small Melee
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Weak
- Attack Range: Short
- Health: Low
- Skill: Alter Terrain - After inflicting damage, the terrain below the machine will lower and the terrain below the target will raise.
Tremortusk
Rare
- Type: Large Dash
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: High
- Skill: Sweep - Attacking hits the target and any machines perpendicular to it.
Widemaw
Uncommon
- Type: Medium Pull
- Movement: Short
- Attack Power: Average
- Attack Range: Average
- Health: Average
- Skill: None
For more Horizon Forbidden West content, be sure to check out How to defeat Tideripper in Horizon Forbidden West? on Pro Game Guides.
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Published: Feb 21, 2022 12:20 am